[ermiller]

Dee-

A direct placement means that the parents release the baby to you.

A placement where the foster license is needed is when the parents release the baby to the agency who then places the baby with you for "fostering" until TPR. Once TPR is done, the baby is then placed with you by the agency as a pre-adoptive placement.

At least, that was how it was explained to me when we switched agencies, were matched and had a direct placement.

Also, it does make a difference with health insurance. If the baby is placed directly as a preadoptive placement with you, you can enroll the child in your health care right away (as long as it is group insurance with some exceptions). A baby placed with you as a "foster" child would go under medicaid/MI-Child/Healthy Kids (Michigan's versions) until TPR is done, then you could enroll the child in your health insurance as a pre-adoptive placement.

Hope this helps!
Erin